Nick Malgieri's Amaretti

These are the cookies served with our chocolate fondue in December.

One 8-oz.can almond paste (do not use almond paste from tube---too much sugar)
3/4 C. sugar
2 large egg whites, beaten just to break up
1/4 lb. pine nuts (optional)---I didn't use them.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Cut almond paste into 1/2 inch cubes and toss into bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment or use hand-held mixer. Add half the sugar and mix on low speed until the paste is broken into small crumbs. Add the rest of sugar and mix until the crumbs are very fine, about 2 minutes. Add egg whites in 3 to 4 additions, scraping down the bowl when mixture starts to stick to the bottom and beating until the batter is free of lumps. You don't want to beat a lot of air into this mixture, because it will cause the amaretti to rise in the oven and then fall--what you want is a nice, even puff that persists.

Pipe cookies in mounds on the lined baking sheets with a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4 inch plain tip. Each cookies should be about 1-1/4 inch in diameter and about 1/2inch high. Leave about 1-1/2 inches between cookies. Alternatively you can use a small scoop to form the cookies, using about 1 TBS. batter for each.

Just before baking, wet a cotton or linen kitchen towel(not terry cloth) and gently squeeze out excess water. Don't wring cloth--you want it to be wet. Fold the towel into a strip 2 inches wide and, holding one end ot the towel in each hand and letting the center droop, gently dab the tops of the cookies with the center of the cloth. Use an up-and-down motion to pat the cookies with the towel several times, until their tops are smooth, slightly flattened and glistening. (Wetting the tops will remove the piping ridges and will help produce the crinkly top that is typical of these cookies.) If you are using pine nuts, press them gently onto the amaretti.

Bake on center rack until they are well risen, lightly colored and covered with fine cracks, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer cookies, parchment paper and all, to racks and cool completely.

Gently peel the amaretti off the paper. If any of the cookies stick, just lift the paper, brush the underside with a little hot water, and give it a few seconds to seep ink then peel off the cookie.

Kept in an airtight tin or plastic container, amaretti will remain moist and chewy for a few days, than become dry and crisp.
Yields bout 3 dozen cookies.

A little time-consuming, but worth it. Janet